Written questions by Wrigley.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce dog bites in the UK.

Defra continues to work with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog.

What guidance her Department has issued to (a) local authorities and (b) schools on (i) annual reviews for EHC plans and (ii) the responsibilities of all parties involved.

Education, health and care (EHC) plans should be used to monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and longer term aspirations. Local authorities have a statutory duty to review EHC plans every 12 months as a minimum.The local authority should provide a list of children and young people who will require a review of their EHC plan that term to all headteachers and principals of schools, colleges and other institutions attended by children or young people with EHC plans, at least two weeks before the start of each term. This will enable professionals to plan attendance at review meetings and/or provide timely advice or information about the child or young person where necessary.The department has issued guidance on EHC plan reviews in the special educational needs and disabilities Code of Practice which explains the roles and responsibilities of local authorities and schools in the review process, as well as other relevant professionals.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of OBR forecasts on the percentage of GDP spent on social security benefits in the next four years.

The OBR forecast for welfare spending as a percentage of GDP is expected to be 10.8% in 2029-30 once Spring Statement 2025 policy measures have been factored in. This compares to 10.9% without the incorporation of policy measures. These figures exclude spending consequences for the Scottish Block Grant adjustment arising from Spring Statement 2025 policy measures. 2024/252025/262026/272027/282028/292029/30Spring 25 policy package (excluding impacts on Scottish Block Grant Adjustment)0.00.10.11.73.34.4 Welfare spending as a % of GDP (Excluding expenditure on Scottish Block Grant Adjustment)2024/252025/262026/272027/282028/292029/30Spending as a % of GDP (no measures)10.9%10.9%11.0%10.9%10.8%10.9%Spending as a % of GDP (with SS25 policy package)10.9%10.9%11.0%10.8%10.7%10.8%Difference0.0%0.0%0.0%-0.1%-0.1%-0.1%

Whether Ukrainians who have (a) jobs, (b) homes and (c) families in the UK will be able to stay once the war has ended.

In response to the invasion, the Government set up three generous schemes – the Ukraine Family Scheme, Home for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme – and have provided temporary sanctuary for over 300,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war.The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open, uncapped and free of charge for Ukrainians in need of sanctuary to apply to come to the UK.On the 4 February 2025 the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme opened to applications. This enables Ukrainians and their eligible family members who are already in the UK with Ukraine scheme permission, or Leave outside the Rules in certain circumstances, to apply for a further 18 months' permission in the UK.The scheme will provide the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as the existing Ukraine schemes.As part of the application process, individuals will be asked to provide evidence to prove their identity. For documents not in English, applicants must upload a certified English translation. Providing translations up front helps us to progress applications quicker.The Ukraine schemes are temporary sanctuary visa schemes rather than humanitarian protection schemes and are not routes to settlement. This approach recognises the Ukrainian Government’s desire for the future return of its citizens. It is important that our approach reflects their wishes.Other visa routes are available for those wishing to settle permanently in the UK, provided they meet the eligibility criteria of those routes.

What steps her Department is taking to support Ukrainians living in the UK on a long-term residency basis.

In response to the invasion, the Government set up three generous schemes – the Ukraine Family Scheme, Home for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme – and have provided temporary sanctuary for over 300,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war.The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open, uncapped and free of charge for Ukrainians in need of sanctuary to apply to come to the UK.On the 4 February 2025 the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme opened to applications. This enables Ukrainians and their eligible family members who are already in the UK with Ukraine scheme permission, or Leave outside the Rules in certain circumstances, to apply for a further 18 months' permission in the UK.The scheme will provide the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as the existing Ukraine schemes.As part of the application process, individuals will be asked to provide evidence to prove their identity. For documents not in English, applicants must upload a certified English translation. Providing translations up front helps us to progress applications quicker.The Ukraine schemes are temporary sanctuary visa schemes rather than humanitarian protection schemes and are not routes to settlement. This approach recognises the Ukrainian Government’s desire for the future return of its citizens. It is important that our approach reflects their wishes.Other visa routes are available for those wishing to settle permanently in the UK, provided they meet the eligibility criteria of those routes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the nature restoration fund on (a) peatlands, (b) ancient woodlands and (c) other irreplaceable habitats.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill provides an opportunity to accelerate housebuilding and infrastructure delivery by using development to fund nature recovery. This will create a win-win outcome, benefitting both the economy and nature, where both are currently stalled. The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) will offer an alternative way for developers to discharge existing environmental obligations related to protected sites and species, without reducing overall levels of environmental protection. The Bill sets out that the specific environmental obligations which may be in scope of Environmental Delivery Plans in future are only those stemming from the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, or the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, which includes ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees, as well as blanket bog and lowland fen (which are peatland habitats), should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists. These protections will continue to apply.

Whether it is her Department's policy that the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme is a humanitarian protection route.

In response to the invasion, the Government set up three generous schemes – the Ukraine Family Scheme, Home for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme – and have provided temporary sanctuary for over 300,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war.The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open, uncapped and free of charge for Ukrainians in need of sanctuary to apply to come to the UK.On the 4 February 2025 the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme opened to applications. This enables Ukrainians and their eligible family members who are already in the UK with Ukraine scheme permission, or Leave outside the Rules in certain circumstances, to apply for a further 18 months' permission in the UK.The scheme will provide the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as the existing Ukraine schemes.As part of the application process, individuals will be asked to provide evidence to prove their identity. For documents not in English, applicants must upload a certified English translation. Providing translations up front helps us to progress applications quicker.The Ukraine schemes are temporary sanctuary visa schemes rather than humanitarian protection schemes and are not routes to settlement. This approach recognises the Ukrainian Government’s desire for the future return of its citizens. It is important that our approach reflects their wishes.Other visa routes are available for those wishing to settle permanently in the UK, provided they meet the eligibility criteria of those routes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of agri-environmental scheme investment in Dartmoor National Park since 2015.

Data related to the boundaries of the Dartmoor National Park is not held. The Government’s commitment to our farmers remains steadfast. In the budget in October 2024, we committed £5 billion to the farming budget over two years. This means more money than ever for sustainable food production and agri-environmental schemes across the country, including Dartmoor. We are funding around 38,000 live Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements, increased payments under Higher Level Stewardship, and Round 1 and 2 Landscape Recovery projects. We are also funding new Higher Tier agreements and Capital Grants, both of which open or re-open to applications later this year.

What equipment his Department has procured from the United States for the armed forces since 1 January 2024.

The Department does hold information relating to contract duration, spend to date, and total contract value, which could allow for basic modelling. However, information to identify projected spending over the next five years with US suppliers is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

What steps she is taking to ensure that disabled people are adequacy supported through the benefits assessment process.

It is important that all claimants to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are able to access our services and that they do not face obstacles in applying and communicating with the Department and its providers. We have a variety of reasonable adjustments to make the claims process and communications easier for some of our most vulnerable customers. The process is kept under continual review to ensure it meets the needs of claimants and helps the Department provide an accurate assessment of an individual’s entitlement. Since PIP was created, the Department has introduced, for example, dial-in-for third parties, a digital PIP 2 questionnaire and evidence upload function, email as a reasonable adjustment and telephone and video assessments in addition to paper-based and face-to-face assessments. In the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March we outline plans to improve the experience for people who use the health and disability benefits system, including exploring ways to use evidence from eligibility for other services to reduce the need for some people with very severe conditions to undergo a full PIP functional assessment. Over the longer term, the Health Transformation Programme is modernising health and disability benefit services to improve the customer experience. The Programme will transform the entire PIP service, introducing an option to apply and track applications online.We are exploring a case management model - a personalised approach for customers from initial contact through to the end of the application, including signposting to other benefits and services. This approach will help the Programme to better understand our customers, tailor their service, and help to build customer confidence and trust that their case is being progressed appropriately.

If he will publish details of all active export licences.

The status of an export license is subject to change at any time. Individual licences typically have expiry dates of 2 years (Standard Individual Export Licences) and 5 years (Open Individual Export Licences).Export licensing information is published in the Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. They are available to view on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data. This currently includes information up to 30 September 2024.The next quarterly publication of official statistics in development covering export licensing decisions between 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024 will take place in May 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/strategic-export-controls-licensing-statistics-1-october-to-31-december-2024?cachebust=1740739985.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37398 on Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, will if she will respond to the email from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot on the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund after the spending review.

A response to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot on the adoption and special guardianship support fund was sent on 10 March 2025.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of Q95 of the oral evidence given by the Chief of Policy of the Confederation of British Business to the Business and Trade Select Committee on 11 February 2025.

The EU is a significant trading partner for both goods and services. In the 12 months ending September 2024, the UK’s total trade with the EU was 5% below the level seen in 2018, after removing the effect of inflation and excluding precious metals. We will tackle barriers to trade to help drive investment, jobs and growth for both UK and EU economies, but we have been clear there will be no return to freedom of movement, the customs union or the single market.

What fiscal steps her Department is taking to support the growth of the (a) beer and (b) pub sector.

Pubs, brewers and distillers make a significant contribution to our economy, which is recognised in the tax system. According to the Office for National Statistics' 2023 Business Register and Employment Survey, there were a) 14,000 people employed in distilling, rectifying and blending of spirits, b) 21,000 people employed in the manufacture of beer and c) 474,000 people employed in public houses and bars across Great Britain. At Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced a duty cut on qualifying draught products – approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and is equivalent to a 1p duty reduction on a typical pint. This reduction increased the relief available on draught products to 13.9%. The government will also consult on ways to encourage small brewers to retain and expand their access to UK pubs, maximising drinkers’ choice and local economies, including through provisions to enable more ‘guest beers’. Generosity of the discount available for small producers has also been increased. Regarding Business Rates, the Chancellor confirmed her intention to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000, including pubs, from 2026-27. In the interim, the Government extended the current RHL relief for one year at 40%, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and freeze the small business multiplier for 2025-26.

What guidance her Department issues to local authorities on determining the level of funding allocated for each EHC plan.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.If a pupil’s education, health and care plan requires a school to make provision that goes beyond the support that the school is expected to make available ordinarily from its core funding, the local authority provides the school with top-up funding from its high needs budget for the excess costs. The department provides operational guidance to local authorities on the arrangements for administering such high needs funding. The guidance for the 2025/26 financial year can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2025-to-2026.

Whether she plans to increase (a) Statutory Maternity Pay and (b) Maternity Allowance beyond the rate of inflation over the next four years.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and State Pensions, including Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance. She announced her decision from the latest review of benefits in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 30 October. From April 2025, the rate will increase by September 2024's CPI figure of 1.7%, from £184.03 to £187.18 per week.Government spends approximately £3 billion a year on parental payments. Any changes to the system would need to consider the needs of parents, the availability of resources and the impact on employers, and be made in consultation with businesses and stakeholders. Parental pay is only one element of the support available for parents. Depending on individual circumstances, additional financial support, for example, Universal Credit, Child Benefit and the Sure Start Maternity Grant (a lump sum payment of £500) may also be available.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the change in the weekly rate of Statuary Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance from April 2025 on child poverty in Devon.

Maternity pay is primarily a health and safety provisions for pregnant working women. It is not, and has never been, intended to replace a woman's earnings completely, nor is it intended to help with the cost of having a baby. Rather it provides a measure of financial security to help pregnant working women take time off work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth. Parental pay is only one element of the support available for parents. Depending on individual circumstances, additional financial support, for example, Universal Credit, Child Benefit and the Sure Start Maternity Grant (a lump sum payment of £500) may also be available. Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish a Child Poverty Strategy which will deliver lasting change. The causes of child poverty are deep-rooted and complex, and the Taskforce is exploring all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. Statistics on child poverty are published annually in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics publication, available here: Households below average income (HBAI) statistics - GOV.UK. The data is only available at regional level. Constituency level data is published in the Children in low income families: local area statistics publication, but due the methodological differences, these poverty statistics are not comparable to those from the HBAI publication and are only available on a before housing costs basis (BHC).

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with (a) Connecting Devon and Somerset and (b) Airband on (i) resuming full-scale operations and (ii) the effectiveness of communications between the three parties.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working with both Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) and Airband to identify premises which will no longer be connected via its Superfast contracts for the area. Premises that have been descoped from the Airband contracts and are not in any commercial plans are now eligible for support through Project Gigabit.However, approximately 6,000 premises across the area are likely to remain in scope of Airband’s subsidised delivery. The supplier expects to resume this work in June and complete it by the end of 2027. BDUK is in regular contact with both parties to monitor this delivery.

Innovation and Technology, what plans his Department has to enable Ofcom to regulate poor customer service.

Ofcom’s principal duty, established by the Communications Act 2003, is to further the interests of citizens and consumers, and Ofcom sets its regulatory framework to promote good outcomes for consumers, in line with this duty.For telecoms, Ofcom has a duty to set General Conditions with which communications providers must comply. These are published on Ofcom’s website and include conditions on complaints handling and dispute resolution. In addition to this, for example, Ofcom has introduced requirements to send end-of-contract notifications and published guidance to help providers support vulnerable consumers. Ofcom also publishes the Comparing Customer Service (CCS) report to show how customer service levels compare across the telecoms industry.

What recent estimate her Department has made of the contribution of the (a) brewery, (b) distillery and (b) pub sector to the UK economy in the 2024-25 financial year.

Pubs, brewers and distillers make a significant contribution to our economy, which is recognised in the tax system. According to the Office for National Statistics' 2023 Business Register and Employment Survey, there were a) 14,000 people employed in distilling, rectifying and blending of spirits, b) 21,000 people employed in the manufacture of beer and c) 474,000 people employed in public houses and bars across Great Britain. At Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced a duty cut on qualifying draught products – approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and is equivalent to a 1p duty reduction on a typical pint. This reduction increased the relief available on draught products to 13.9%. The government will also consult on ways to encourage small brewers to retain and expand their access to UK pubs, maximising drinkers’ choice and local economies, including through provisions to enable more ‘guest beers’. Generosity of the discount available for small producers has also been increased. Regarding Business Rates, the Chancellor confirmed her intention to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000, including pubs, from 2026-27. In the interim, the Government extended the current RHL relief for one year at 40%, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and freeze the small business multiplier for 2025-26.